Freedom Train

April 1, 1963 pt. 3

April 1, 1963 Pt. 3

"Any idea when Dr. King is going to be back from New York?" Candy asked Terry as she sat across from him at her kitchen table.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had just left Alabama for New York, hoping to enlist the monetary assistance of famed singer Harry Belafonte. If they were going to use the same mass arrest strategy for the upcoming protests, they were going to need bail money.

Candy's small apartment in Bessemer, Alabama wasn't what any would consider impressive, but it was her own. Hell, nothing about Bessemer was impressive, seeing as most the town's residents were too overwhelmingly poor to make it any better. It wasn't as if the state of Alabama would send assistance to clean up the streets, when it was mostly Negros who occupied them. It seemed to be even worse now, with the March 5 tornado that touched down, hitting Bessemer hard. It caused the most damage along second and third avenue between nineteenth and twenty first street. Luckily for Candy, her apartment building had been undamaged during the ruckus. A lot of others weren't so fortunate.

Candy stood up and walked to the aging icebox, pulling out two cool cans of soda, handing one to Terry before she took her seat across from him again.

"He was scheduled to return tomorrow, but I suppose we will see," he answered, accepting the can from her and popping the tab.

Terry took a deep drink before resting the soda between his hands on the table. His eyes were trained on the silver gleam from the can. He could feel Candy's eyes raking over him but he couldn't bring himself to look at her much. It felt as if every time he looked at her, he was lying to her, and the guilt could easily become overwhelming if he let it.

"I wouldn't be surprised if that scumbag Bull Connor met Mr. King at the state line. Commissioner of public safety," she scoffed. "More like commissioner of pain in my ass. I swear to God if that man becomes the mayor of Alabama I'm going to forget all about peaceful protest and start a damn riot."

"For what reason?" Terry asked, rolling his eyes. "It's not like the alternative is any better. Boutwell's just not as vocal about his prejudice. But it's still there. Make no mistake."

Candy bit the side of her lip, noticing Terry's bitter mood. He always seemed to be in a bad way these days. Candy tried not to notice the difference in the way he acted with her and the sweetness she witnessed when he was with Annabeth. She didn't want to dwell too much on it, telling herself that every relationship was different.

"Are we going to the ACMHR meeting tonight?" Candy asked conversationally. "Would be nice to see some familiar faces."

Every Monday night, every week, every month, year after year, the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights held a meeting led by Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth. Since the NAACP was banned in Alabama, Shuttlesworth developed the ACMHR which (along with the Montgomery Improvement Association) became the cornerstone of the Sothern Christian Leadership Conference.

"We're going," Terry replied. "Reverend Lowry of Mobile is supposed to speak. I haven't yet had the pleasure."

Candy's smile stretched across her face as she leaned forward in her seat, reaching out and cupping her hands behind Terry's neck. She scooted herself closer to him, her chair scraping across the linoleum floor with a screech.

"Speaking of pleasure," Candy purred into his ear. "We have some time before we have to leave. And we're finally all alone."

Terry clenched his jaw closed as he leaned his forehead against Candy's. He reached up and delicately removed her hands from behind his neck. He placed them in her lap, his hands enveloping hers.

"I should really be going," Terry replied instead. "I have a lot to do before tonight."

He kissed her lips quickly before jetting to his feet, noticing her disappointment.

"Want me to come with you?" she frowned, following him to the door.

"I'll pick you up for the meeting," he answered, opening the door to the apartment and quickly disappearing behind it.

As soon as Terry made it to his car he let out a groan of exasperation so loud that it drew the attention of the children playing across the street. Terry didn't notice them and banged his hands on the steering wheel, cursing over and over. A little boy's half deflated ball bounced out into the street, the boy chasing after it. The child paused as he witnessed Terry's frustration inside of his vehicle.

"You okay, mister?" the kid asked, his eyes crunched in concern.

Terry nodded and started his car, not the least bit okay.

*Flashback. March 17, 1963. Greenwood, Mississippi*

"Where's your fair-haired counterpart?" Terry asked Candace as they sat at the same square table inside the SNCC building.

The hour was getting late and the others in their group were all dispersed, leaving the two of them alone making posters for protest.

"Why do you care?" Candy asked with a teasing smile. "You just broke her heart, after all. Maybe she's off mending it with someone new?"

Terry didn't reply but his brush strokes became more angered.

"If you still love her, why don't you just be with her?" Candy asked with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm over her. Make sure she knows that, too," he huffed, his eyes trained on the stark white poster and the dark black paint he used. "Maybe if she gets the point, she'll go home."

"Clearly, you don't know her that well. That girl ain't going no-where." Candy laughed.

Terry let his paint brush clunk to the table.

"Well, if she's staying for me then she's going to be sorely disappointed."

"Yeah, because you're so over her," Candy teased.

"I am," Terry said, his eyes drifting past Candy's shoulder and outside the window.

Annabeth and Bobby were walking toward the door to the office, only to be stopped by Bradley who must've had something to tell them. Terry walked closer to Candy, a stupid and thoughtless plan taking hold in his mind.

"You must be delusional if you think..."

Candy didn't have a chance to finish her thought as Terry gripped her shoulders and crushed their mouths together, just in time for the office door to open for Annabeth to witness it all. Annabeth quickly turned on her heel and stomped away, Bobby turning to quickly follow behind her.

Candy wasn't sure what was happening but as soon as the realization that Terrence was kissing her clicked, she pushed him away from her and followed his kiss with a hard slap against his cheek.

"You seriously are delusional if you think I would betray my friend that way!" Candy hissed.

"I'm sorry," Terry said, his hand cupping his cheek instinctually. "You just looked so pretty standing in that light," he lied. "I couldn't help myself."

Just like Candy couldn't help the heat that rose into her cheeks at the compliment.

"Not okay," she whispered, less angry and more confused, as she turned around and walked away from him, her fingers gently touching her lips as soon as her back was turned.

**flashback over**